Merry Christmas: Boston Dynamics dog has learned to be a solid snake

Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics has released a holiday video featuring its dog-like Spot robot, and it turns out to be as scary as ever. The video, posted on Twitter, starts off effortlessly—the kind of great gift that anyone would be happy to see sitting on the patio under their tree. Then, Gift stands up and walks off-screen, as Metal Gear's Solid Snake roams the woods disguised as a cardboard box in pursuit of a private military contractor.

While the video ends with a "Happy Holiday" greeting, it probably isn't quite as heartfelt as it should have been. It's hard to come away from this without realizing that Spot is going on a mission to scare a child or prank someone who thought they were about to bring something really cool for Christmas.

Unlike the dancing video (which in itself is a terrifying demonstration of how robots can definitely steal my girl by being smoother and more coordinated), this video really leans into the creepy militaristic undertones of Boston Dynamic's robots. I mean, The Hiding Under a Box meme is from the Metal Gear franchise, which bills itself as "tactical espionage action" and has plot points about sinister AI.

In real life, people have seen robots in military trials and working for the NYPD. (Though the NYPD contract was canceled when almost everyone said, "Wait, should the police have a robot dog?")

Check Under Your Tree for Hidden Robots

What I'm saying is that this video is probably not going to give space to any friends and I don't have the holiday spirit. Mostly it makes me feel resigned to this life now - a robot might be hiding under my tree waiting to ambush me and ruin all the excitement I felt about The Big Present. Used to be. been doing.

Thankfully, we probably won't have to start checking under every box for robots like people in the southwest US check their shoes for scorpions. The Spot's sensors aren't likely to do very well making it through the cardboard barrier, and will have a hard time sending a video feed to its remote control. Of course, someone close can control it to chase you, but if someone is willing to do the same, you may need to pick up a box and say "!" may need to be said. There are bigger concerns than listening. sound.